BOLZANO. Golden day for the Italian biathlon with Lukas Hofer who wins the first podium of the season, both personal and for the men’s team, in the pursuit of Kontiolahti while Dorothea Wierer returns to the podium of the pursuit, second in the chase race of Kontiolahti, behind the Norwegian Tiril Eckhoff, third the German Denise Herrmann. Dorothea Wierer had started for 17th with almost a minute late from Eckhoff, after the first net shooting range, she was already in eleventh position 54 seconds from the top. The second pitch, on the ground, is also fully positive for the champion from Anterselva who climbs to seventh position 52 seconds behind Eckhoff. Another zero in the first shot standing and Dorothea is fourth and aims for the podium. On the fourth shot all the best players miss, but not Wierer, who thanks to 20 out of 20 comes out with second place just 14 seconds behind the Norwegian. A heart-pounding final, but the second place is Italian to mark probably the best seasonal chase for the 32-year-old from the Fiamme Gialle. Federica Sanfilippo closes just outside the points, with 41 / o place, 2 errors, and 3’43 ″ 6 behind the first, while Samuela Comola is 57 / a with 7 errors and more than 6 minutes behind.
Lukas Hofer, as mentioned, conquers the first podium of the season. The victory, the sixth in a row, goes to the French Quentin Fillon Maillet, with an error, and with a time of 32’55 “0, ahead of Lasser, no errors, and 8” 2 behind, then Lukas Hofer, at 8 ? 8 with an error. Fillon Maillet also wins the specialty cup. Lukas Hofer is perfect at the first shooting range from which he comes out fifth at about thirty seconds from the top of the race. A mistake in the second shooting session does not make the carabiniere of San Lorenzo di Sebato lose much, who remains in eighth place about 50 seconds from the top. Then two more polygons perfect for Hofer and here is the blue fighting for the final podium, together with Jacquelin, Christiansen and Lesser, while Fillon Maillet is in front, alone. At the last kilometer Lesser starts, immediately chased by Hofer and the two make a void. The podium is there, but Hofer tries to take second place and tries to overtake Lesser in the sprint, then he gives up but the third place belongs to him.